• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• v.33 no.50
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• pp.321.1-321.7
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• 2018

Background: Pertussis is highly contagious respiratory disease. Healthcare workers (HCWs) can be an important mediator of the disease. A seroprevalence of pertussis was investigated in HCWs to determine the immune status against pertussis and to detect the unidentified pertussis. Methods: This study was conducted for HCWs at a hospital located in Korea in 2011. After obtaining written informed consent for HCWs voluntarily participating in the study, 10 mL of blood was collected from each subject. Demographic and medical data were collected using questionnaire. Data on the underlying disease and vaccination history were reviewed again through medical records. The presence of anti-pertussis toxin (anti-PT) immunoglobulin G (IgG), and immunoglobulin A (IgA) was detected by quantitative analysis using a commercially available ELISA kit (EUROIMMUN, $L{\ddot{u}}beck$, Germany). Results: A total of 412 HCW participated in the study. Among them, 14 were excluded due to the inadequate sample amount or medical history not secured. Of the 398 HCWs analyzed, 16.6% (66/398) were men and the mean age was $33.82{\pm}9.10years$ (range, 21-67). The mean anti-PT IgG titer was $8.32{\pm}20.40IU/mL$ (range, 0.4-287.5 IU/mL). The overall seroprevalence (rate of anti-PT IgG antibody [Ab] titer > 5 IU/mL) was 33.7%. Three (0.8%) HCWs had the Ab level > 100 IU/mL indicated acute infection. There was no statistically significant difference in the seroprevalence and mean titer of anti-PT IgG Ab according to age group, type of occupation, patient-facing position, or working in the pediatric department. Conclusion: The seroprevalence of pertussis of the HCWs of a university hospital in Korea was low, and there were some unrecognized acute infections. Therefore, booster immunization of pertussis to HCWs should be actively considered.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.1-18
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• 2003

Team-members may have diverse backgrounds and characteristics and such diversity is getting increased in teams in terms of demographics(gender, age, and educations) and capabilities(knowledge, skills, and experiences). A meta-analysis of the last 40 years studies, however, concluded that diversity in teams does not have the consistent main effect on team performances. On the other hand, according to theories of selection and socialization, similarity in values, backgrounds, and experiences buttress the positive and effective working environment. Therefore, we conduct an empirical study in favor of similarity in work teams for the sake of team effectiveness. We investigated the importance of the similarity of team-members on IT team effectiveness. Two aspects of similarity, demographic and cognitive, were considered together. The shared mental model(SMM) was introduced as the representative construct for the cognitive similarity. We found that SMM is more important than the demographic similarities on team effectiveness.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.99-108
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze factors associated with depression among wage earners by subjective health and stress perception. Methods: The study subjects include 1,787 wage earners(aged 19 and older) who are currently working, using data from the 2014 National Health and Nutrition Survey. Data were analyzed using frequency test, t-test, ANOVA and multiple regression. Results: Multiple regression analysis showed that perceived stress level, subjective health status, age, monthly household income, sex, marital status, average daily sleeping time, and whether type of employment was regular or non-regular were significantly related to depression. Conclusions: It is necessary to develop an appropriate mental health promotion program and to manage prevention of depression at the national level.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.18
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• pp.1-19
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• 2006

Ageing induces huge dramatic change of society and economy rather than simple change of population structure. Ageing causes the decrease of working age population and production capable population, thus this brings growth slowness and long-term stagnation. In addition, progress in ageing decreases saving rate, consequently low saving rate brings about the decrease of country-wide investment resources. This ageing problem which is progressive rapidly needs core competence and implementation of human resource professionals to overcome this kind of environment change. First of all, it needs turnover in thinking way toward talents. Secondly, we need innovation one team to pursue innovation and creativity. Thirdly, it should be considered in a new way with the number of workers and efficiency of personnel expenses. Fourthly, employees should make effort for self-advancement. Under the environment with newly change human resource personnels' function and role should be emphasized to maintain sustainable growth and overcome the change of management environment. Therefore, human resources should be emphasized to become competitive personnel and organization with leading the change master and creating the value of the organization.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.9-17
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• 2007

There is no universally agreed classification of human error, nor is there one in prospect. Thus, a taxonomy is usually made for a specific purpose. To seek the types of human errors in the environment of man-machine interface under the railway industry, we develop a cognitive information processing model incorporating the human's mental states. Using the model, this study investigates the types of human errors about the railway workers. Thus, a survey is conducted for railway safety personnel-locomotive engineers, station employees, and train commanders- in Korean railway company. Through the survey that is designed to investigate four types of human errors from the Questionnaires composed of thirty Questions, we analyze the types of human errors related to railway safety according to affiliated offices, operation shifts, age, and working years. Finally, from the insights of the results some guidelines for the railway safety management are presented.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.51-69
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• 2023

Korea's population is aging at a faster pace than any other major country, and the adverse impact of this trend on the economy is predicted to be significant. This paper focuses on the macroeconomic effects of population aging with particular attention paid to the pace of aging in Korea. According to our analysis, it is difficult to offset the decline in the labor supply driven by rapid population aging, even if the labor force participation rate of the working-age population rises to a significantly high level. We suggest a re-orientation of policy directions to correspond to the behavioral changes of economic agents. Policies must focus on promoting labor force participation among the elderly while pushing towards human capital advancement and higher productivity.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.227-236
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• 2016

Main purpose of this study is to provide some basic data necessary to research, education, and policy to cultivate professional talents, by investigating what competencies needed to hospital administrative staffs and managers in performing their jobs in the global age. A survey was conducted through self-administered questionnaires for hospital administrative staffs and managers including first-line hands-on workers who were working in 77 hospitals located in Busan, Keongnam, Ulsan areas in South Korea. Major results are as follows: (a) The analysis for the competencies needed to hospital administrative staffs and managers in order to perform successfully their jobs revealed that interpersonal competency, knowledge of management skills in healthcare field, understanding ability for healthcare, in that order of importance, had significant influence on performing their jobs. (b) Regarding the analysis for the detailed competencies necessary to hospital administrative staffs and managers in order to perform successfully their jobs revealed that problem-solving ability, sense of responsibility, positive attitude, leadership, in that order of importance, had significant influence on performing them. This study suggests that universities opened courses related to health care management should newly open a subject 'problem-solving ability in health care' to link with health care field and their curriculums are necessary to change over to practice-oriented curriculum system.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.28-33
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• 2022

This study aims to investigate factors that affect elderly poverty based on a comprehensive and universal perspective, suggesting some alternatives for improving the poverty rate of the elderly. The comprehensive and universal approach to the poverty of the aged that this study attempts can give a better understanding of the elderly poverty beyond the contribution of the existing literature, with the research model including individual, family, labor, and income factors as the causes of old-age poverty from the comprehensive and universal perspective on the causes of poverty of the elderly. In addition, the study attempts to input variants of variables into the equation for the causes of elderly poverty by using panel data from the 8th Korean Retirement and Income Study. This study employs decision tree analysis to determine the cause of the poverty of the elderly using CHAID. The decision tree analysis shows that the most vital variable affecting elderly poverty is making income. For the poor elderly without earned income, public pensions, educational careers, and residential areas influence elderly poverty, but for the poor elderly with earned income, wage earners and gender are variables that affect poverty. This study suggests some alternatives to improve the poverty rate of the aged. The government should create a better working environment such as senior re-employment for old people to be able to participate in economic activities, improve public pension or social security for workers with unfavorable conditions for public security of old age, and give companies that create employment of the aged diverse incentives.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.267-275
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• 2017

Background: The mining industry is known worldwide for its highly risky and hazardous working environment. Technological advancement in ore extraction techniques for proliferation of production levels has caused further concern for safety in this industry. Research so far in the area of safety has revealed that the majority of incidents in hazardous industry take place because of human error, the control of which would enhance safety levels in working sites to a considerable extent. Methods: The present work focuses upon the analysis of human factors such as unsafe acts, preconditions for unsafe acts, unsafe leadership, and organizational influences. A modified human factor analysis and classification system (HFACS) was adopted and an accident predictive fuzzy reasoning approach (FRA)-based system was developed to predict the likelihood of accidents for manganese mines in India, using analysis of factors such as age, experience of worker, shift of work, etc. Results: The outcome of the analysis indicated that skill-based errors are most critical and require immediate attention for mitigation. The FRA-based accident prediction system developed gives an outcome as an indicative risk score associated with the identified accident-prone situation, based upon which a suitable plan for mitigation can be developed. Conclusion: Unsafe acts of the worker are the most critical human factors identified to be controlled on priority basis. A significant association of factors (namely age, experience of the worker, and shift of work) with unsafe acts performed by the operator is identified based upon which the FRA-based accident prediction model is proposed.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.349-370
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• 2009

This study examines the perceptions on work-family balance and compares the differences of diverse groups in Korea. The success of work-family policies depends on employees' perceptions of both the tangible and intangible aspects of work-family supportiveness. A survey was conducted to produce a instrument that could measure the perceptions of work-family balance. The survey is a conducted random sample, with random selection of respondents who are working and over the age of 25 in Seoul and the metropolitan area. The research design employed ANOVA to compare the perceptions on work-family policies for supporting work-life balance in society. There was a difference in spillover levels between workers in different groups such as gender, employment status, age, the number of children, family type by employment status, company size, and industry. The findings will inform policy-makers as they continue to develop policies that positively affect working people.